SanDisk's Sansa Connect is Here
We've been eagerly awaiting SanDisk's Wi-Fi equipped MP3 player since it was announced at CES this year, and finally this networked wonder is here. I've been playing around with our 4GB Sansa Connect for a while now, and here are my first impressions:
The Wi-Fi is actually useful -
Welcome to a social you might want to attend. While Microsoft was one of the first to build Wi-Fi into a digital audio player, the Zune's limited sharing options didn't exactly set the word on fire. The Connect gives you many more options, built around a partnership with Yahoo. Find an open access point, and you can stream Internet radio from Launchcast stations or browse Flickr photo streams. Sign up for Yahoo's portable music subscription service, Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go ($12 per month for an annual subscription, or $15 if you go month-to-month), and you'll be able to download any tracks or albums you like over Wi-Fi. I'd still like to see wireless syncing with my PC as an option, but the streaming radio is a very nice touch
Check out the Connect browsing through Yahoo stations, streaming some audio, preparing to download a track, and viewing a Flickr photo stream in the photos below:
Streaming Internet Radio Sounds Quite Good -
Stations took a little while to buffer using my home Wi-Fi connection, but the quality of the streams was quite nice, on par with 128kbps MP3 files. I didn't experience any drop-outs even while I had several other network transfers going. If you hear a song you like, it's easy to queue it up for download using the Zing menu button just above the device's control wheel on the right. I've had trouble getting the download function to work with my Yahoo ID, so I'll have to report back on that later.
The Screen Looks Great -
The Connect's 2.2-inch color screen isn't quite as good as the display on my 5.5G iPod or Creative's Zen Vision:M, but it's not bad. The screen's refresh rate is just barely visible, which is a minor annoyance. Photos, whether streamed to the device or downloaded, showed particularly vibrant colors.
Pretty Interface, Sluggish Operation -
The Connect's interface is a pleasure to look at, with colorful icons, and crisp fonts throughout. Unfortunately, the Connect's scrolling dial takes some getting used to. Though its physical operation mimics the iPod's Clickwheel, the main control's placement at the bottom of a fairly small device feels somewhat awkward. Plus, the wheel has a bit of lag to it, making it easy to overshoot your target in a list of songs.
Is the Wireless Worth it? -
At $249 for a 4GB player, the Sansa Connect isn't cheap. But with a MicroSD slot included for expansion, and the ability to pull down songs wherever there's an open access point, the Connect's lack of storage isn't a big deal. As the first truly useful wireless MP3 player, the Connect is sure to be a popular gadget. I'll check back with a full review and rating once we've completed our battery life testing.
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Umm... $250 for 4GB and Windoze Fanboys call Apple's expensive. I bet they will be going out to buy this piece of expensive junk soon. If the price was around $150 or even $200 it would have been worth it but $250 is insane. iPod is still #1 on my list for price and feature set... and... I don't spend $300+ on a digital music player to listen to the radio and get commercials streamed to me over the internet. Get smart people.
There are no commercials on Launchcast. This is a great way to hear new music - anytime something comes on that you like, you click a button and it's yours. Without Internet radio or podcasts, you'll be listening to the same tired songs on your ipod 5 years from now. Unless you prefer to sit around in front of your Mac randomly previewing songs at the iTunes store.
This isn't a PC/Mac thing - set up a few stations on Launchcast, get a Yahoo music subscription, and you don't need a computer!
If your ipod is so great, why are you reading about other players?
The ZING engine is hot?mobile, Wi-Fi, and streaming!
But, in addition to limited, paid subscriptions and downloads, it could access the full breadth and depth of free Internet streams. Like the Radeo Internet Player--more than 10,000 stations, 20,000 shows, and 800,000 episodes--broadcasts, webcasts, and podcasts: http://www.radeo.net.